Shopping in your pajamas

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December 1, 2008

The first in a four-part series on holiday gift giving offers advice for shopping on Cyber Monday.

By TEDDYE SNELL The Tahlequah Daily Press Mon Dec 01, 2008, 08:41 AM CST

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — While purists of the shopping regime flocked to stores early Friday to begin their holiday shopping, tech-savvy folks are waiting until tomorrow.

Not only that, but they'll likely get all their shopping done without ever leaving their home or office.

They may even shop without ever changing out of their pajamas.

Cyber Monday - the most popular day to shop for holiday gifts online - is tomorrow.

While many people are cutting back on spending, people shopping online may still run into "traffic jams," slowing the speed with which they can make transactions.

According to a report by MSNBC, several free services are being made available to help make online shopping more efficient, and some of them are even implementing mobile and e-mail alerts via MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.

Evan Schuman, editor of StorefrontBacktalk.com, an online retail technology new site told MSNBC that mobile and social networks will play a prominent role in e-commerce this season.

Schuman and his team of reporters plan to use Twitter, a micro-blogging site, to provide shoppers with online "traffic reports," letting them know which retailers are experiencing high traffic at what times.

Online retailers worrying about flagging sales this year are ramping up big-time deals to attract shoppers. Free shipping may be the biggest lure, and some are offering creative financing options and discounts.

Amazon.com plans to boost its bottom line by offering shoppers 65 percent off watches, and will also offer one-day deals on other items.

Popular online auction site eBay will holds its “largest sale in history,” with $1 holiday door-buster items hidden on the site for shoppers to hunt for, including a 65-inch Panasonic plasma HDTV, and a 2009 Chevy Corvette.

Cherokee County Extension Educator Heather Winn, the mother of two sons, finds shopping online convenient.

“I buy gifts online,” said Winn. “My favorite sites are Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney and Old Navy.”

For those with children, surf into Toy “R” Us for great bargains. The large toy retailer plans to offer more sales and promotions than in previous years, including breaks on video games.

As always, security is always a concern when shopping in cyberspace, and Winn looks closely to make sure she safe.

“I only buy when the site I’m looking at is secure,” she said. “I know that still isn’t 100 percent safe, but I don’t think it’s any riskier than using a credit card at a store.”

PayPal is an online payment method many consumers prefer to use, and they will also be offering incentives to shoppers. Owned by eBay, the operation is partnering with other retailers, including Toys “R” Us to give customers $10 off on purchases of $50 or more.

On other sites, those choosing to use PayPal can get rebates and cash-back incentive from 5-30 percent off, including American Eagle Outfitters Inc., Overstock.com and Blockbuster.

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